Forgotten Models.

[burnz]

the prius, now that is an ugly current car..
you know you are driving an experiment

[Coyote mk3]

Originally Posted by hendoau99

..., but they've got LS1's in the ss models. god they sound excellent.

Haha yep, I really like the VX Clubby.

I have a mate who has a VX SS, but it only has the standard exhaust on it.
I keep begging him to but a decent system on it

I saw the light eventually but..

Back when I was under 14 I used to love Holden, then they came out with the Magna looking commodore (VY.)
I also saw that their marketing was the only reason people bought their car, 'cause they're the Real Aussie car. Ford simply have better, more Australian cars
It may have had something to do with me annoying Dad and my family who has been blue oval since my grandfather worked at Ford for 35 years.
(Ken McHugh - Eagle Farm, for anyone that is interested. He seems to be quite well known with people that have worked there)

[aualright]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

The AU when first released was a shock and public opinion reflected this.
The one thing AU had on its side was build quality and reliability when compared to the fashionable VT.

Still have an AU XR8 and 11 years later the interior (except for the roof lining) is of such good quality. The padded vinyl dash is still mint and everything fits so well. That is, no unintended gaps where one bit meets another. The centre console is not everyone's cup of tea but overall I still regard it as put together better than the BA - BF models and better than the Territory Ghia we recently sold.

Oh yeah...and I like the XY touches too such as the 'Falcon' badge on the back.

Definitely not forgettable...in fact with so many similar shapes on the road these days (albeit 12 yrs after it came out) it will be impossible to forget once I have moved on to hopefully an FG.

****

[nothin suss]

The BA/BF was/is a great car but you can't go past an AU2-3 mechanically. Both for simplicity and reliability.

As for forgotten cars Camiras, CRX Honda and XF's come to mind. I presume the CRX's were all written off or modified and scrapped. Similar to Geminis maybe?

One of the most underrated cars was the last Fuel Injected Corona.

[noosacuda]

Absolutely Ugly! What about a Mitsubishi "Nimbus", Suzuki "MightyBoy"or a 4 cylinder Chrysler "Centura" for forgettable?

[V8 Man]

^^Ah the 'Mightyboy', a great farmers ute, if you only need to carry half a bale of hay.^^
Does anyone else remember the Holden Piazza? What about the economy 3.2 lt. EA?

[mrghia]

I don't think the mightyboy or the centura are forgettable cars. I think another current ugle car is the Subaru legacy and the new Barina Spark

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by mrghia

I don't think the mightyboy or the centura are forgettable cars. I think another current ugle car is the Subaru legacy and the new Barina Spark

Yes Subaru have gone back to their roots and the Ugly Duckling , the new Liberty is just butt ugly.

[Iggypoppin']

Lol @ 3.2 EA. Saw one up for sale in SA a while back, $1290 or so, a definete fail car that one.

[V8 Man]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Lol @ 3.2 EA. Saw one up for sale in SA a while back, $1290 or so, a definete fail car that one.

They must have sold at least one then........

[geckoGT]

What about the Holden HD, most people think they are a HR when they see them and have no idea they actually made a HD which was released before the HR and was the first of that shape.

[bingoTE50]

Hd was out for 1966 only.They had redesign the front end because of the sharpness of the guard around the headlight.They were worried if it hit a pedestrian it would slice them in two.
As far as forgotton cars , Peugeot 404 , VC Valiants , S series Vals ,Datsun 180B ,200B -plenty of these sold , 79/80 Corona's , also the Mark iv 6 cylinder Corona , Mid eighty Cressidas ,TC GLXE Cortinas,105 Alfa romeo's,Fiat 124 Sports , on and on ,lol

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Yes Subaru have gone back to their roots and the Ugly Duckling , the new Liberty is just butt ugly.

I agree on that one, the current designers should go back to Ssangyong and send the original boys back...



I have seen a VE II yesterday, looked uglier than the mk I although the green torquoise colour is nice, the rest is just zzzz (inc VE I).

Who remembers the Ford Cougar?

[onfire]

Nissan Silvia is certainly fading away. Rewind 5-10 years, every bloke and his cousin was doing up a Silvia. Now days, damn... I haven't see one in months. And then again, haven't heard a word spoken about them.

5 years ago, they were a cheap entrant into the Jap sports car, and a ballsy little turbo'd coupe. I guess gutter rash and missed-matches panels from " drifting " accidents has depleted the numbers.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

The AU might not have been everyones cuppa tea but heck it was (and still is) a fantastic Aussie car. Robust, strong and capable of heavy abuse, it has certainly aged well and still gets looks in the XR versions and tickfords especially. I think everyone who bags it out needs to get over the past and remember what was good about it.

As for forgotten models? VR commodore in my opinion. They are almost as nondescript as camrys and corollas.

I agree. When the AUs first came out I like most people thought they were ugly, but as time as gone on they have aged very well IMO.

The VT/VX I think were hits, because their styling was pretty much the norm for that time whereas the AU has styling that the general population weren't used to. Ahead of its time I would say.

Everytime I see a VT/VX I can't help, but think how outdated they look whereas the AU still looks reasonably fresh.

Anyway a couple of forgotten cars the TA, and HB Toranas.

[Mr Hardware]

One of the most underrated cars was the last Fuel Injected Corona.

truth.


And along thos lines GeckoGT, the EJ holden. Everyone thinks they're EH'es!

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by mick_1010

I wouldn't say the AU was a horrible example of styling. At the time, the AU was too "out there" for most people, including me. Sure, it was a massive departure from the well-proportioned and even graceful E-series, but it's aged brilliantly. I've really come to like the AU styling, and I love the way they harked back to the XY with little styling touches. By comparison, the VT/VX looks to me like a blown up Hyundai Excel, even though I preferred it back then.

Yeah. I agree. Up until recently, I thought the AU was the most hideous thing around. When I saw the spy shots, I honestly thought Ford was taking the pis5.

Conversely, the VT was gorgeous! Not a bad line on it.

Now though, the VT hasn't aged very well, and I find myself admiring the AU. Funny how things change.

I always found the VT/X/Y a nice car to drive. The VZ did'nt go down real well because the new V6 wasnt any better than the old one.

[GT450]

What about the Nissan Gazelle , Skaifeys first race car on the Isuzu Piazza both highly forgettablealong with the 1st fourcylinder Limousine Nissan bluebird i can still see the TV ad now with the chauffeur in the driving seat. LOL
GT450

[Riksta]

Originally Posted by trippytaka

Not the KE20 and KE25 Corollas though, they were classics!

Damn straight!

I had a KE20 I bought in 1996 just before I got my L's, to learn in.

Owned it and loved it up until June 1999 when some scumbags decided to flog it and wreck it :(

I only paid $750 for it, would love to find another one to re-live those first car memories, unfortunately most examples are now quite pricey, they seem to have become a collector's item - unlike when I owned it, I got paid out by the schoolmates with Gemini's!

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

The AU when first released was a shock and public opinion reflected this.
The one thing AU had on its side was build quality and reliability when compared to the fashionable VT.

When you look at the shape of the rear of the FG, taillight shape, rounded boot, you can see where the AU was 10yrs ahead of its time, had Ford released the FG in 98 i believe it too would have failed.

The VT styling was spot on for its era and the whole package flowed, i was never fond of the tear drop lights or the rear bar which looked like the reflectors were a forgotten extra on the VX.
The VY/Z however always seemed wrong with the chiseled ends on the round VT body.

The AU did miss out on some things too. Carpet and head lining were both a big step backwards in quality from EL.

I think the styling was one thing, but the EL was a very well sorted car too, head gasket issue aside, so AU had to be something special to get people to move to it and it wasn't. It was out there styling with cost cutting evident. BA was what AU should have been all along, although the cost cutting never went away unfortunately.

Dan

[XR_Strider_GuY]

The AU was certainly not a forgotten car, and in the words of Mr Polites, "polarised" opinions even within models. Look at a stock AU Forte, one cannot say its a nice looking car but because of this very reason you do notice it because it has a personality.
Now whenever I see an AU1/II XR with the full Tickford bodykit and 17inch wheels, I think wow thats a bold, sharp and nice looking car. I take a 2nd look to this day. Again it has personality.

Forgettable cars, are cars that its looks do not offend. Yet they do not attract either. Another orange in the orange pile.
Like the 1986-1993 Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Tiida, Toyota Camry and lastly the Nissan Pulsar. The Nissan Pulsar was a case in point, when it came out back in 1997/1998 with the plus pack (spoiler, alloys, key less entry) it was the talk of town for the well off kids backed by their parents who wanted a brand new car. But in truth there is really nothing there apart from reliability and a new car. Today the car is forgotten, you just don't care if its there or not. At the lights its just another car that one is stuck behind.

In regards to the VY, I will defend it in that the SS models were bold when they came out. Compared to the VT/VX it was sharp creases, triangle lights. Holden adopted "sharp" into their design theme. I must say looking at it now, even comparing it to the VE the VY does not look too dated. Dare I say alot more modern than the VT/VX shape. Having said that I do like the shape of the VT/VX SS from day one.

Compare the back of a VYSS v VE SS, there are those traingular lights, the double stacked spoiler, the highish back end, the blacked out under bumper trim, its all there in the VY.

[Windsor342ci]

I hated the AU series from day one till about 6 mths ago. I sat in a red AU III XR8 and the interior blew me away!!!! The shell is not the most gracious or poised of them all, but in my mind, the effort and quality of the interior far supersedes any BA, BF or FG. Even the GT versions of the current models look amazing, but the AU just look like the actually thought about what they were trying to achieve.

[Windsor342ci]

All this talk on the VY's. I owned a VY SS and now I think back I loved it! For what it was, a cut above the rest! In 2003 the start of the BA's came out and I could not believe they stuck with the 4 spd autos and 5 spd mans. That’s what ultimately made we sway to the red side. If I had to pin point the lowest aspect of the car, perhaps handling. Though it was good, truthfully I feel my EL XR when it had standard springs in it was a little shaper and nimbler, but it was still decent. Interior was ok, though I rate the AU's higher. But power was spot on! For a standard 6 spd manual I managed a 13.6 at WSID and was wrapped!
The question is, would I renown one? Yes! Perhaps not as a project car but as a daily driver it was sure fun! A VE? Rather wash my special spots with sand paper....

[Trevor 57]

Ford Taurus

Ford Capri - Aussie model

Ford Zephyr

[shadowrunner]

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

The VY looked good, until you drove it. By far the worst car I have ever owned.

you never drove a VN/lexen then did you

[DJM83]

Forgotten for me is the AU i had 2 and i loved them both, i did hate them when first released but after 'diving' in and buying one i loved it people who give them curry havnt driven one i think, i mean who could not like this

[Adamz Ghia]

Gotta say the VXII SS doesn't get enough cred. If I ws a Holden bloke I'd own one.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

What about the Holden HD, most people think they are a HR when they see them and have no idea they actually made a HD which was released before the HR and was the first of that shape.

just like the HX in between the HJ~HZ

[RSgerry]

saw a morris 1100 on the road the other day. could be a sleeper with a 1275 if anyone could be bothered, but i believe build quality was something to behold.

[uranium_death]

Over time, every model becomes resigned to history and the scrapheap.

I hardly see XF Falcons anymore. I sat in the back of one for 13 years and it was just a great workhorse. Yes, it was crude but compared to what anybody offered at the time, it was the best family vehicle you could get.

VB-K Commodores I don't see anymore. I still see VLs though....

Ssang Yong is one car that people will forget, and for good reason.

Datsuns...people don't remember them in large numbers, probably because they've all rusted or exploded...

Either way, it's inevitable that unless majorly spectacular or incredibly bad, a model will be forgotten by the general public.

The VTII is 10 years old from new, and it's a brilliant car. We've had to replace the streering rack, the ABS control unit thingymejig and a couple of things, but still going fine. The interior is falling apart though, but mechanically very sound, so I have nothing but praise for the VTII. I don't like the VX, but I like the VY.

If we could get the EF/L interior with the EA-D exterior, we've have the perfect Falcon.